Democrat kathy hogle has been governor of new york since 2021, following the resignation of then governor andrew cuomo. For her state of the state address back in january, she highlighted public safety, homelessness, hate crime prevention, and business investments, among other topics. This was just over one hour. Pursuant to the resolution duly adopted, the senate and the assembly of the state of new york are met in joint session for the purpose of receiving the annual message to the legislature from the governor of the state of new york. Ladies and gentlemen, i am proud to present kathy hogle. [ applause ] [applause] gov. hochul thank you and good afternoon. Its an honor to be back in this Hallowed Chamber thank you, and good afternoon. It is an honor to be here with you. Civic minded new yorkers have wrestled with everything from the great depression, to the every day issues that matter to the people who call new york our home. Generations have shared a solemn responsibility of representing their citizens. Im honored to be joined by the leaders of today. First, let me thank the lieutenant governor, antonio delgado. He has done an amazing job. I want to thank you for the beautiful indication. I look forward to seeing you this sunday, in church. The state comptroller, tom dinapoli, state attorney general, the Senate Majority leader, assembly speaker. You can upload for everyone if you want. [ cheering applause ] women have to look out for women. Okay. Speaking of powerful women, the majority leader. [ cheering applause ] the Senate Minority leader. The Assembly Minority leader, will berkeley. The esteemed judges of the new york court of appeals. The new york city mayor, eric adams. Mayor and county executives from all across the state, and we are also joined by former governors David Patterson and george pataki. Also many representatives and distinguished guests, clergy leaders, including dr. Bernard, president of our executive interfaith council. Members of my cabinet and counsel, and a special tribute to my policy director, the visionary behind many of our late ideas, michael asher. Today, it is not about us, its about 20 million hardworking new yorkers that we are privileged to represent, and what we can deliver for them, in the year ahead. I have listened as new yorkers have told me about the challenges that they face, and the dreams they hold. Its with them in mind that i probably share my vision for 2024. The state of new york is strong, stronger today than when i became governor two years ago. It is healthier, safer, more affordable, and we have traversed some rocky terrain, and there is still some switchbacks for we reach the summit. A safe and affordable life is somehow out of reach. Shootings and murders have declined by double digits. Safety is always top of mind. Ive made Great Strides to take guns off the streets. Parents are still fearful as there children get on the bus each morning, and too often. We see troubled individuals discharged from the hospital, without receiving the care that they need, and they go on to commit violent acts. The potential of a crime, no matter how serious, is causing anxiety for our residents. On top of that, there is the rising cost of living. Inflation is down 9. 1 , 3. 1 over the last 18 months. Paychecks are finally growing, and yet, our neighbors are struggling to make a dollar go further. And sadly, no matter how hard they work, they fear they will never get as far as their own parents did. These are the reasons that i fight every day, to give new yorkers a better shot, and a better life. If i work with this legislature, to create more than 600,000 jobs and reduce unemployment from 7. 4 down to 4 . And we did that while holding the line on taxes across the board, in fact we cut them for the middle class. We boosted education by 5. 3 billion, an extraordinary 18 increase. We fully funded Foundation Aid for the very first time in history. The increase in funding, 1. 3 billion in raises to hard working Home Health Care aides, bonuses for Healthcare Workers. They deserve it. Just this morning, as result of our hard work with president biden, and his administration, we will be able to invest over 6 billion in hetero funds to our Healthcare System over the next three years. This funding will help address Healthcare Work care shortages, strengthen access to primary and haverhill healthcare, all important primaries for all of us. On top of that, over the past two years, weve invested 7 billion in childcare. At the same time, we have saved the mta from a looming threat to the entire region, while ridership grew by 435 million new writers. Know administration, and no is ledger ever before has invested more money, faster, e. G. Roads, bridges, and public infrastructure. We build our state. And im grateful for your continued partnership, and for the leadership of Andrea Stewart cousins. Thank you, to both of you. Weve worked hard to restore integrity, and trust in government. You will always see more headlines, and a handful of places we disagree, but the truth is, we are united in our commitment to the people of this state, and together we have already achieved so much. But standing here and reciting easements is not what people want from their leaders. We will continue to fight the right fight on their behalf, and relentlessly pursue common sense ideas that lift the people of this great state. Joining us today is quentin roosevelt. The great grandson of Teddy Roosevelt, who took the oath of office as president 125 years ago, in a place called buffalo. At just 19 years old, quinton is the youngest elected official in our nations capital. Quinton, stand up. A bright future. Like quinton, i was inspired by the 33rd governor of new york. I Teddy Roosevelt my very first day in office. I plan to strive valiantly on behalf of new york others, and be the woman in the arena. Thats exactly what weve done. Thats why im taking on several persistent crimes, like retail theft, Domestic Violence, and hate crimes. Weve also got to revolutionize Mental Health insurance, so people can actually get the help they need. And we will be protecting your hard earned money from bad actors and predatory lenders. At the same time, we will continue to build new york to a place that welcomes his misses, new and existing, small and large, family owned and publicly traded. We will keep driving. The kensington and sparse way, thousands and thousands of good paying union jobs so workers can support their families, and we will fight for minimum wage workers, because no one should labor 40 hours a week and still live below the poverty line. We will fight for our farmers through extreme weather and workforce shortages. We will fight for seniors. We will fight for children. And in so doing, we will pursue the common good with common sense, by seeking common ground. As we uphold these commitments, understand this. We cannot spend money we do not have. Endemic funds from washington have dried up. Inflation didnt just hit families, it hit State Government operations as well. It is up to all of us to make the hard, yet necessary decisions, and use tax dollars creatively, and responsibly. I will discuss how to tackle some of the toughest fiscal issues, like caring for migrants, and a structural deficit in next weeks budget. Right now, lets talk about how we provide a better life for new yorkers, starting with initiatives we already announced since the new year. Last year, infant deaths were up for the first time in 20 years, black and brown women remain three or four more times likely to die into. I will not let this continue on my watch. We must ensure that moms have healthy pregnancies. I want to make new york the first state in the nation to offer prenatal leave. We must protect women from unnecessary surgeries that them at risk. We are also giving children the resources they need to live full, healthy, successful lives, and lets start to teach them how to read. Its time to get rid of debunked curriculums and schools, and use proven techniques that work. We are also promoting physical health and wellbeing by building pools in underserved areas, and teaching people to swim. Im proud that the lieutenant governor, he and his team will connect new yorkers that want to give back, especially young people will, across the state. This is just the start of the comprehensive agenda for new york in 2024. We will protect the environment by planting 25 million trees, expanding solar access, and making sure our state meets our old admission targets. We will support jobs in agriculture, and family owned farms. We will connect new yorkers to career opportunities, and Fund Research into rare diseases, like als, that robs millions, like my own mother, of vitality. We address countless challenges with 204 policy initiatives in the state of the state, which im sure will find its way to your nightstand this evening. Today im going to focus on key comments for our agenda. Fighting crime, fixing the Mental Health system, testing new yorkers hard earned money. Lets talk about crime. If government cant keep citizens safe, nothing else matters. Last year, we reduced gun violence, bringing shootings down by a third, murders are down 21 in new york city, 38 of state. We made key revisions to make new york safer. We enacted guncontrol legislation thats a model for the rest of the nation. But certain types of crime have been stubbornly high. New yorkers see it every day. Graffiti by the synagogue. Baby formula locked behind plastic panels. A couples argument turned violent, punctuated by gunshots. On the subway, people suffering a mental writedown or overdose. Episodes like these can cause an atmosphere of anxiety in our communities. Our success in driving down gun violence proves that targeted strategies do work, and a changing trend is indeed possible. Today we are unveiling a seasonal of crimefighting tactics, and an era defining Mental Health initiative, so new yorkers can live free from chaos and disorder, and focus on the things in life that matter most. First, we must ensure everyone is safe at home, by protecting them from Domestic Violence. The random attacks, the press coverage, new yorkers are much more likely to be heard by someone they know. One third of assaults, the attacker and the victim have a prior relationship. Our system fails many survivors. In new york city alone, 84 of Domestic Violence arrests and in dismissals. Think about that. Before last year, many users had access to guns, so we change the law. But now, the Supreme Court is poised to possibly overturn a law that keeps guns away from abusers. We need protections, and it is more urgent now than it ever was before. You may have heard me talk about how my mother grew up in a home where Domestic Violence was routine. She dedicated her life to break the cycle of trauma. We know that prosecuting violent abusers is the best way to protect survivors. Take the story of elizabeth, who is here with us today. Elizabeth, please stand. [ applause ] elizabeth was right across the liver elizabeth was right across the river. She was trapped in an abusive relationship. She and her pets suffered abuse at the hands of her ex boyfriend. He killed one of her kittens. A veterinarian told her about unity house. She met a Detroit Police detective, is also joining us. Detective clemens . Thank you, thank you. He helped elizabeth find the strength to pursue justice, and file charges. He assisted with police reports, and stood by her side as the grand jury. With his support, elizabeth has made a clean break from her abuser, and is rebuilding her life. I want to hear more hopeful stories like this. We are donating 20 million so district attorneys can present your abusers, and take their guns away. We are committing more funding, so police can protect those most at risk of abuse, and down on repeat offenders. Every survivor should have the same chance to break the chain of violence, and build a new life. Thieves brazenly take items off the shelves, and menace employees. Owners go broke replacing broken windows and stolen goods, driving many out of his nests. These attacks are nothing more than a breakdown of the social order. I say no more. The chaos must end. For the very first time, we are launching a joint operation between federal, state, and local Law Enforcement, along with a brandnew state police unit to crack down on organized retail theft. I use this approach with illegal guns, and it has worked. Im proposing to help those Business Owners with a tax credit, to help them cover the security costs. I will work with the legislature, to strengthen penalties for assaulting a retail worker, or fostering the sale of stolen goods online. Lets get it done. Lets back our businesses, back our businesses and workers with the full force of the law, and punish those who think they can break the rules with impunity. The cannabis vendors who frequently violate our laws. We rule empower them to after the unlicensed shops, and prosecute businesses that sell to minors, and padlock their doors faster. Finally, regarding crime, i want to talk about hate crimes, the rising tide of anti semitism and islamophobia. Since the horrific attacks on october 7, theres been roughly a 95 increase in hate crimes against jewish residents of new york city, and we are seeing a surge of antimuslim hate crime as well. Neighbors are being targeted at playgrounds, synagogues, mosques, and college campuses. I will not rest until every jewish and mothers a muslim child feels safe going to school or entering a house of worship. We are making offenses eligible for prosecution for hate crimes, enhanced liability, sentences, and standing up for whats right. We will protect the people of this state. We will carry this light until every new yorker feels safe at home, in prayer, and at work. No matter how much we invest in Law Enforcement, new yorkers will not be able to let their guard down until we fix the Mental Health system. From brooklyn, to buffalo, many new yorkers are suffering. Mental illness does not discriminate. It touches the rich, and the poor. It reaches schools, senior citizens, with the same severity. Even First Responders are suffering. Their experiences on the job expose them to horrific circumstances, and that suicide rates among Law Enforcement are 60s percent higher than the rest of the population. Often people involved in violent incidences on our street are victims themselves, victims of a system that failed to provide them the treatment they need. High quality care must be widely available, accessible, and affordable. Yet, for decades, the Mental Health system was de prioritized, and defunded. Over the 10 years before i took office, funding for Mental Health was not even keeping up with inflation. The result, too few psychiatric meds, too few practitioners, failing support systems. Combine this with pandemic isolation, opioid addiction, and the toxic algorithms that govern social media. Its no wonder we have such a serious problem on our hands. Make no mistake, this is the defining challenge of our time, thats why my administration is working in ownership this legislature, and has already made unprecedented investments in Mental Health care, a 33 increase just over the last two years. We boosted funding by 1 billion last year alone. Heres what this allows us to do. Target hundreds of millions of dollars in outpatient services, create more than 3500 houses for people suffering with mental illness. Increase intake and psychiatric beds by 1000, and initiate measures to help our children, with eating disorder care and schoolbased Mental Health clinics. Focusing on our kids is everything, its critical, because they are the most precious resource. Investing in Mental Health services for the young means they wont be relegated to a lifetime of needing care later on. With schools close during the pandemic, kids turned to social media to stay connected, with friends and family. A darkness lives on those platforms. Content austin often promotes themes like suicide. The algorithms that make social media so addictive pushes that darkness onto young users. Think about new yorkers like alec spence, who grew up on long island. She joined instagram at 11 years old. Immediately the algorithm suggested images and videos about eating disorders, and themes of low selfworth. By the time she was 15, young alex was spiraling. She was losing weight. She didnt sleep. Her life wasnt hers anymore, it belonged to the algorithm. After her parents intervened, after two weeks of a psychiatric facility, without her phone, she emerged a changed person, able to assert herself again. Today, she advocates for other young people at risk, and dreams of the day of testifying before congress about the dangers of social media. Alex is one of the lucky ones. Her mother, kathleen, is here with us today. Here is what kathleen says. Social media is a silent killer of our childrens generation. One in four teens has considered suicide, double figure just a decade ago. For teenage girls, the number is one in three. Thats why we are going to tackle the scourge of social media that has harmed so many young minds. Attorney general james, the two of us together will continue together, we will advance legislation to help childrens privacy, and regulate the algorithms that target them on social media feeds. We will expand peer support programs, so kids can share spaces with kids and help them with the same challenges. We will start with historic investments, to make Mental HealthServices Available to every single schoolage child. We will ensure every school that wants a Mental Health clinic will get one. Im glad to be joints today by another great new yorker. Breanna works tirelessly to support teenage new yorkers. She helps young people wrestling with mental illness. Thank you for all you are doing. Building on the progress she already made, healthy children grow into healthy adults, but many grow up without the support they need and pose a danger to themselves or others. Thats why im proposing comprehensive reform throughout our Behavioral Health system. Starting in 2024, we will require hospitals to screen patients with Mental Health conditions for risks like suicide, violence, substance abuse, and other complex needs. We will also require followup care be coordinated before patients can leave the hospital. It is common sense, but it hasnt been happening. Mental health court is proven to reduce recidivism. Empower Mental Health specialists, so the most mobile get help, instead of just cycling in and out of the justice system. The most extreme cases involve people committing violent crimes, often lacking that capacity to live safely on their own. Just a couple weeks ago, Grand Central station, one of those individuals pulled a knife and stabbed a pair of young tourists. Episodes like this extract a vast psychological tool toll on our communities, and everyone else. Just as that act of violence was abhorrent and inexcusable, so are the repeated failures that allowed the perpetrator to slip through the cracks, diagnosed with Mental Health conditions, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. He was known for falling into rageful, menacing episodes. He should have received help long ago. We can no longer wait for someone to lash out and hurt someone before we take action, because by then, it is already too late. The relatively small number of people need the most intensive care. We will find specialized housing to provide services for individuals with a history of criminal justice involvement. We also know new yorkers are discharged back into our communities, not because they have recovered, but because there is no more room in our hospitals. Thats why we are creating 200 best in class patient beds, for those with the most serious needs. Mental health care is not just for those in crisis. We have all needed support at one time or another, to get to the struggles of life. Seeing a therapist can be expensive. Some people cant afford outof pocket payments. For so long, Many Insurance Companies have refused to adequately pay for Mental Health support. That changes now. I want to increase reimbursement rates for all state licensed Mental Health services, and the new regulations will require insurers to provide out of Network Coverage when appointments are not available in network. First, they will give financial services, love. This matter can health. The struggle had become. We have all seen lives by opioid dependence. My own family has been touched by this epidemic of faith. I still mourn the loss of my nephew, and the other lives cut short. Thats why we are harnessing 2 million in funding. We are growing street outreach efforts. The nation in the disbursement of funds, spending the that any other state i future where no parent ever again has to find their child lifeless and glassy eyed on the floor. Every new yorker to feel safe walking the street or taking the subway, for our children to have peace, and every resource to become the best version of themselves, protecting financial. We have worked hard to make more affordable. Since i got this, the minimum wage to tie it with inflation. We delivered tax relief and utility savings 2 million of middle and lower class workers, and we have recruited world class companies, bringing high paying jobs to new york. Last week, i detailed a series of abstractions to protect new yorkers from scammers. Right now, i am proposing the first significant change to Consumer Protection laws in over 40 years. We are going to prohibit practices like student loan servicers pushing student borrowers toward the most expensive options, and debt collectors who manipulate seniors. We will establish regulations on the buy now, pay later loan industry, which often lowers people into spending beyond their means. And sticking on medical debt, and dramatically increasing paid disability leave. Believe it or not, disability leave has not been raised a penny in 35 years. What is the point of paying for this benefit your whole life, if it only gives you a fraction of what you need to recover . We have to write this wrong, and increase this and if it from a paltry 170 a week, which is what people get right now, to bring it up to where it would have been, adjusted for inflation, as much as 1250. Thats seven times more than it was. And i say its about time. Any of us struck by illness, or a weightlifting mishap in the gym, it could happen at any moment. A ride in the ambulance for a minor injury can lead to financial ruin. Youve seen it. Scrubbing medical debt from credit reports, banning providers from garnishing wages, and im proposing that we protect low income new yorkers from being sued by the medical debt that they cannot pay. And capping Monthly Payments and interest, expanding Financial Assistance programs. The cost of lifesaving medicine also weighs down new yorkers. 1. 6 million new yorkers are diagnosed with diabetes, and many cannot afford insulin. Heather whitley has required insulin every day for 32 years. Heather joins us today. Heather, please stand up. [ applause ] she has managed her own disease, while fighting on behalf of others. That so students dont have to ration their insulin, seniors dont have to skip entire doses, and diabetic parents dont have to go without insulin, to make sure their own sick child has the needs met. Thank you. I want a ban on copays for insulin for anyone in state regulated insurance. No one has to become a diabetic, no one asked for that, and they deserve our care and compassion. Now, lets get to the most important issue, when it comes to affordability. Ready . Okay. Youve seen the high cost of rent and mortgages caused by a shortage of housing in new york, its one of the forces driving people out of every corner of our state. That migration is a problem we need to talk about. For 50 years, weve been housing families who can no longer raise children in the same entity they were born. This decline shows no sign of stopping. Here is what is so interesting. People arent mrs. Warmer weather or or taxes. Many are moving next door, and the top five states that new yorkers are moving to . Three of them share our border with texas. People are in new york, new jersey, pennsylvania, connecticut, we are losing our population to other states, and that means a loss of influence. We went from 43 members of congress when i was a little girl, down to just 26 today. Four decades, no elected official in new york had the political courage to even start a conversation about building more housing. Big cities around the nation showed ambition that dwarfed our own. From 2011 through 2020, washington, d. C. Developed new housing units, boston developed 47, new york city, a thriving metropolis, a place you want to be, only 27. Until we address the housing shortage, many of our neighbors will continue to struggle financially. One year ago, i pushed with the New York Times the most ambitious housing plan since the rockefeller administration. It was clear they would not support it. I knew we were unlikely to win this fight. But, this dire situation demanded an immediate reaction, and i did not want to wait around for the next session. We found inventive solutions, freeing 5500 units that had been languishing. We offered financial incentives for prohousing communities that demonstrate a willingness to build. Today, i am announcing a plan to expand on those efforts, by developing on sites owned by state agencies, including former correctional facilities, Commuter Rail stations, and underutilized properties. This initiative alone could create up to 15,000 new housing units. I know it is a good start, but its not enough to fix our affordability crisis. Lets be honest with new yorkers. The only thing that will solve this problem is building hundreds and hundreds of thousands of homes. [ applause ] new york already spends more than any other state in the nation on has. Our capital plan is the most ambitious in history, deploying state and private sellers, adding up to 25 billion in funding. What did that get us . Sounds like a lot of me, right . That resulted in 100,000 new and preserved units. Very important, but still a fraction of what we need. Is what i know. Spending more money, or insisting on new regulations will not get us out of the hole dug by decades of inaction. Already, new york has vastly more regulated Housing Stock than any other state. It means more homes for people, thats where the status quo as failed. Its a bandaid, and we need reconstructive surgery. Where does that leave us . We still need a state where different approach to encourage new construction, but in the meantime, there are aggressive actions we can and must take now. I remember last year, i remember being one of the loudest voices in opposition. They believe in control. Okay, lets put that to the test. The city the city of new york wants to build 500,000 more homes over a decade. I agree, let them build. City include four commons in of what i offered last year. Restore tax incentives, eliminatin includes four components of what i proposed last year. Restoring tax incentives to build affordable housing. Eliminating outdated density that prevents the city from building more. Supporting nobrainer ideas, like the kwergsz of underutilized commercial properties into homes. That cant be hard. And legalizing basement apartments where new yorkers already live. Again, every other state that met the challenge of building more housing, it took decades. But i approached this crisis with a sense of urgency that is required. So what are we waiting for . Lets unleash new york citys potential beginning this session. Do you agree with that, mayor adams . [ applause ] all right. So now is the time to act. New yorkers are tired of waiting. Im tired of waiting. And i know we can do this. It takes political will. It takes collaboration. And it takes a commitment to deliver what new yorkers desperately want. And we are up to the task because police officers, firefighters, nurses and teachers, should be able to live in the communities they serve. Plause and our children and grandchildren should be able to one day build a life in the towns and cities where they grew up. And while building more homes is absolutely essential. It is also essential that we have goodpaying, longterm jobs, so that people can provide for their families. Now, i know as an upstater, who lived through decades of decline and job loss, there was a time when our greatest export was our children. Im glad to report those days are finally over. But as a governor, i know its hard to recruit new businesses. But if were intentional, targeted, tuinvest in our communities, our infrastructure, our Education System then we can beat out all the others. And land incredible companies. I know we can do it. Because thats how we attracted micron with its 50,000 jobs and 100 billion of investment. [ applause ] we keep supporting our Home Grown Companies like corning, ibm, and countless others. Its not just about jobs and tech. Its about the Ripple Effect when they come. The local construction jobs that are created. The restaurants, Small Businesses that flourish as a result. Now, since taking office, i have been laserfocused on developing industries of the future. Like semiconductors across the state. But now, we have a unique and fleeting opportunity to catapult new york ahead of its competition. I propose nothing short of making new york the Global Leader in a. I. Research and development. The leader for the nation. The leader for the world. [ applause ] because our reputation anonymous with boldness and innovation. So where else but new york should this be happening . A. I. Is already the singlemost consequential advancement since the invention of the internet. It is projected to reach 1. 3 trillion by 2030. Now, other states want it, too. Not to mention, foreign powers like china. But whoever dominates the a. I. Industry will dominate the next era of human history. Thats what we can do here in new york. Those next generation super computers. Theyll power a. I. But theyre currently in the hands just a handful of private companies. Google. Meta, microsoft, open a. I. Im proud to announce that new york will be the first place in the world to put the type of that type of computing power, directly in the hands of leading academic institutions who have stepped up to participate. Cornell, nyu, columbia, rpa, and our entire suny and cuny systems. [ applause ] sowe have geniuses at these schools ready and poised to innovate and launch new companies. And now, theyll have the power to change the world. Now, in order to win this race for the future, we need this specific hardware. And thats why im proposing, the empire a. I. Consortium to purchase and share a. I. Computing power right here in new york. And weve already secured more than 125 million from philanthropic and university partners. And over the next decade, the state will commit 225 million to the consortium. So, you say, whats in this for the new yorkers . Well, just like Silicon Valley exploded in the 1980s. We we will be the birth place of countless new startups, spinoffs, and the Technological Advancements that benefit everyone. Just imagine the possibilities. A. I. Could help diagnosis cancer and cure diseases. They can predict storms. Or uncover solutions for suborn, racial, and economic disparities in our communities. Thats something holiday simms, a senior at the university of buffalo, who is here with us today, is already working on. Holiday. K let me tell you what hollyday is doing. Shes conducting research on how a. I. Can improve the Child Welfare system. And shes passionate about increasing black womens participation in computer science. Hollyday, stand up again. [ applause ] thank you. Holiday and scholars like her in our universities. Will help build this industry in the future. And with this new consortium, we will drive ethical a. I. Development and do it in a way that protects our workers and make it a force for good in the world. Well be the very first. To harness the power and private sector. Academia. I said well share this power and make it valid to people like hollyday, who are in it for the good of society. Thats how we change the world. Together, we can ensure our children grow up in a new cradle of innovation. Globally competitive, a. I. Driven economy, right here in new york. This is my final message, direct to new yorkers. Youve heard promises before. And its hard not to be cynical or feel overwhelmed by the swirl of chaos in our news feeds, the war in israel and gaza, White Supremacists attacks our houses of worships and schools and grocery stores. Unfettered theft at the local drug store, and the stack of bills on the kitchen counter that never seems to go away. New yorkers look at their bank accounts, wondering how theyll pay their rent, or afford the insulin for their child to survive. Those nights of worry can be so long, so dark. And i in those moments, i can actually understand why some people feel the sun is setting on the empire state. But i dont despair. Because i see light on the horizon. We are a state where resiliency runs in our veins. No mountain is too high for us to summit. And you know what . Our strength is forged in the diversity and industry of our people. We succeed because of our contrast and our amazing differences. Because we know were more powerful together than on our own. You know, its fascinating to me that our great state is home to the worlds leading financial institutions. But also supports the tiny mom andpop shops. The tiny villages. You know what i mean . New york is a living, breathing busy, with all of its flaws and imperfections. Its still an extraordinary and magnificent being. Its the Creative Minds that bring broadway and actions to our screens. Its the strong backs of manufacturing workers who make products sold around the world. Its the deft hands of the most gifted surgeons, fighting cancer and saving lives. Its the strong shoulders of our hardworking farmers, cultivating their fields and feeding our people. Its the nurturing spirit of our child care providers and teachers who care for our children. Its the concerned eyes of our health care workers, striving to heal the sick, and comfort the dying. And its even the welcoming smile of bodega owners, making a bacon, egg and cheese in the morning. You know, theyre good. Ive had them. [ applause ] quoting the philosopher, taylor swift [ laughter ] she reminds us that everybody here was somebody else before. And although people might live fundamentally different lives, you know, they still stand side by side on the subway platform or sit at the counter, in a diner, upstate new york or long island. United as new yorkers. We all want our great state to succeed. It also means lending a helping hand to those in need. Another one of my predecessors, fdr, said, the test of our progress is not whether we add to the abundance of those who have much. Its whether we provide enough for those who have too little. [ applause ] thats why thats why we must lift more people into the middle class. And gave them the same opportunities that my own immigrant grandparents had. And many of your parents and grandparents. Even you. We dont want a genew york that is a huge gulf between the rich and the poor. We want to build a bridge to the middle class and beyond. Today, ive told you how well build that bridge. In 2024. Or enacting a vision of new york. Or veterans, can embark on incredible careers, fighting Climate Crisis and green energy. Offshore wind. Where unions are strong, and our infrastructure resilient, to withstand those 100year storms. Where all children learn to read and swim. Where children with disabilities have pathways to pursue their dreams. Where our lgbtq neighbors, are free to be themselves without discrimination. Where we honor and support our First Nations communities. And where women know theyll always fiercely protect the right to an abortion, as well as fair wages, freedom from Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and harassment. [ applause ] never compromise our progressive values as new yorkers. Because my friends, we will never compromise our progressive values as new yorkers. Because our new york is as powerful as niagara falls. It shines as brightly as the montauk lighthouse. Our new york stands as resolute as lady liberty. And our compassion runs as deep as glaciercarved seneca lake. In our state, we stand with new yorkers, even on their darkest days. And we support all people to live their lives with optimism and hope. And if we if we as leaders, fulfill our commitments and our promises, then this is the dawning of a new day. Welcome to our new york. Welcome to our future. Thank you. [ applause ] welcome to new york its been waiting for you welcome to new york, welcome to new york its a new soundtrack i could dance to this beat the light the are so bright, but they never blind me welcome to new york, its been waiting for you az welcome to new york [ music ] when we first dropped our bags on apartment floors took our broken hearts, put them in a drawer everybody here was somebody else before. And you can watch who you want boys and boys and girls and girls welcome to new york, its been waiting for you welcome to new york earlier today, health and Human Services secretary, Xavier Becerra testified. Watch the Senate Finance committee tonight at 9 00 eastern on cspan. Or online at cspan. Org. For cspan voices 2024. Were asking voters across the country, what issue is most important to you in this election and why . The most important issue, this political season, is immigration. Economics and the deficit. I think that homelessness is an issue that needs to be addressed. We invite you to share your voice, by going to our website, c cspan. Org campaign2024. Select recorded video and tell us why